Indie financer Unified Pictures (“Bob Funk”) is launching development of $35 million CG-animated feature “Noah’s Ark” -- to be told from the point of view of the animals in the ark.

Unified has signed Philip LaZebnik (“The Prince of Egypt,” “Mulan,” “Pocahontas”) to script. The shingle’s relying on its private financing, and ElectroAge has already started on the animation.

Unified topper Keith Kjarval said improvements in CG technology will make it possible to give “Ark” the look and feel of a studio pic. He anticipates that the toon will be completed over the next two years.

Have to see how the animation goes in this one. And not so sure I like the "the look and feel of a studio pic" in an animation. My wife is learning to animate, and we are both animation junkies. Animation is an artform in my book, and NOT a way to just imitate life.

Hmm interesting argument. How do you feel then about Pixar? They seem to pride themselves with coming closer and closer to realism.

Close, but they have said they want to keep them seperate. Which is exactly what I want them to do. And um, own all there movies... and pob going to rebuy all in blu...

Then why does all animation imitate life?... lol.

If it wasn't imitating life, then rules such as gravity, emotion, laws, friends, breathing, eating, drinking, human figure, dry humor... Isn't it impossible to not imitate life with animation? Because animation in itself is an imitation of life.

I think I just need you to expand on that. I'm missing something. But I'm very intrigued! Please continue!

Animation became its own art form. An art form that is growing and expanding rapidly. Trying to explain this one is weird i guess.

Animation is bringing hand or computer drawn or sculptured art to life. It is distinct and is broken into many categories based on what style. But it does not replace people in acting roles in general.

One of the greatest dislikes on my side is when animation tries to replace actors in live action films with animation. As in completely. A lot of discussion has been discussing if animation would allow the removal of actors from films. And this is something that just bothers me. Especially since it has already changed special effects to such an extreme degree.

Ah. I see. I dislike that as well and find it depressing that we are heading in that direction. Hopefully it doesn't continue that way and we realize that a computer cannot replace a human. Ever.

except calculators.
Praise the Lord for calculators

You know... I do think we rely on them too much. I mean, in the fifth grade they are sticking calculators in peoples hands.

As an aside. I loaned a calculator to a friend. She took it to school, and one day dropped my Ti-84 on the ground. It was hit by a BUS and a CAR in less than ten seconds. Can we say dead? I really wish she would some day replace it... being she has since graduated college.

Lol ouch. I will say my TI-89 saved my ass in calc 4 ... although we had to learn everything by hand for the tests. I guess that will help me for the gmat next year....